Call to Arms Pt2
by Garion Faldor
Summary: Brooklyn begins training his army for the assault on Amber and runs into some old friends...


As Brooklyn marshals his troops in preparation for war, he runs into some old friends.

Disclaimer: Gargoyles are the property of Disney. All affiliated characters and concepts, including the Courts of Chaos and Amber are the property of Roger Zelazney. All other characters are mine and mine alone.

As I get very little feedback on the stories I write, anything would be appreciated, praise and constructive criticism preferably.

Place: Alternate Earth

Time: Three months after Call to Arms Pt.1

Call to Arms Pt.2

A lone figure stood under the dark desert sky.

He looked about every few minutes, scanning the heavens. He knew they were here, he could sense their presence nearby. But they dared not show themselves. The figure sighed quietly. He had not thought this would be an easy assignment. In fact, compared to what he would be called upon to do in the future, this was easy work. But that fact did little to comfort him. He turned his glowing white eyes to a large, natural stone formation nearby, scanning the rocks and small caves. Though his night vision was keen, indeed far better then any human's, he could not detect those he sought. Grimacing, he allowed the glow in his eyes to fade, revealing their hazel color.

(Okay,) he thought. (So we have to do this the hard way.)

At his mental command, a red, pulsing labyrinth appeared in his field of vision. As the maze shifted slightly under his gaze, he scanned the area again. As he looked he pondered the possibility of failure.

(Just finding them all will be difficult enough…but actually getting them to--)

Suddenly several vague figures stood out in his sight as if he were using infrared, the majority of them hiding in the small cave straight ahead. Banishing his doubts, he strode towards the cave, his taloned feet creating divots in the sand, which quickly refilled. The figures, still glowing in his eyes, retreated further back in an attempt to hide. He smiled. They could not hide from something that was a part of their very being. His ancestors had tried many millennia ago and even they had failed to hide from the Power.

He walked to the entrance of the cave, his inhuman form silhouetted by the full moon behind him. He stood there for a moment as his silver breastplate and gloves glinted in the moonlight, his own eyes glowing softly. Several pairs of glowing eyes suddenly stared back at him from the darkness. Most were white as his were, but a few were the color of ruby.

He smiled softly and held up his hands in a gesture of surrender and spoke quietly in his rough, slightly gravelly voice.

"Peace, brothers and sisters. I mean you no harm."

The eyes did not waver.

"I have come to take you home," he said softly.

A pair of eyes narrowed at this statement and a growling, deep voice accompanied the eyes.

"This has been our home for generations, stranger. Why are you here?"

He smiled softly. "Generations, perhaps. But this is not your true home. You have forgotten just as I had for so long. But now I remember and I have come to help _you _remember, as well."

The eyes narrowed even further. "Who are you?"

The gargoyle smiled and lowered his hang glider-shaped wings, hanging them on his metallic blue shoulder guards.

"I am Gebrodkin. Lord of Chaos. And a gargoyle like yourself." He raised his head with an air of formality. "I have come as the champion of the cosmic Serpent. Our Lord and Master, the Logrus of Chaos has bidden me to come to this place and return you to our ancestral home so that you may serve him once more."

The apparent leader of the group growled softly at this announcement as he stepped out of the shadows. His large, muscular form was gray in color and a mane of jet-black hair covered his head and ran down to his shoulders. Two large ram-like horns grew from his forehead and his eyes were like lumps of coal. Like most gargoyles, he was dressed only in a loincloth. He stepped forward a few paces to confront this young upstart, his eyes glowing warningly.

"And what makes you think we're interested in going, assuming we believe what you're saying?"

Gebrodkin stared levelly at them. "I will prove what I say is true." He smiled slightly. "If you will but try something."

The leader glared suspiciously at him. "And that would be what?"

Gebrodkin smiled benignly. "Nothing harmful or terribly difficult. I just want you to imagine a picture in your mind's eye. Think of a maze. Very twisty and bright red."

The leader looked at him for a moment, then shrugged, as his eyes grew vacant he attempted to imagine the figure Gebrodkin had described.

Gebrodkin lowered his voice to a soft level. "See the maze in your mind. Watch it pulse with primal energy. Now, see it shift a few of its lines ever so slightly."

The leader's face took on a puzzled expression. "I can see it…it's starting to come into focus."

Gebrodkin smiled. "Good!" he said quietly. "Focus on the image. Examine it."

The gargoyle nodded absently, now completely taken in by the figure in his mind. "Yes…it's clear now…I…" The gargoyle started suddenly. "By the Dragon, what--?!"

"It's alright!" Gebrodkin said softly. "It's appeared in your field of vision, hasn't it?"

The other gargoyle nodded. "Yeah! How the hell did you know…?"

The armored gargoyle smiled. "It does the same for me. Now, can you put a name to what you are seeing?"

The other scrunched up his grotesque face in concentration. "Starts with an…L…Log-something or other."

Gebrodkin smiled. "'Logrus', perhaps?"

The gargoyle's eyes widened. "Yeah! That's it!" Suddenly he frowned. "Wait a minute! You just said that the Logrus--"

Gebrodkin nodded. "What you are seeing is the physical form of the Logrus, the Sign of Chaos."

The leader looked at him puzzled. "You said something about a snake."

Gebrodkin nodded. "One of the forms the Logrus takes is a gigantic serpent with jeweled eyes. Just as the Pattern of Amber uses the form of a unicorn."

The gargoyle stared at him. "How do you know about Amber?"

Gebrodkin stared back. "Why? What do you know about it?"

The leader shrugged. "It's a story passed down. One of the stories we would tell the hatchlings. Basically that our ancestors came from a heavenly city called Amber and that if you were good in this life you would return to Amber in the next."

Gebrodkin chuckled softly at this. "A nice story, but it's slightly off. Which is why I am here. Your ancestors didn't come from Amber."

The leader scowled. "And how would you know that?"

Gebrodkin suddenly glanced up at him. "What's your name, by the way?"

The leader's eyes had gone cold again. "Slate. Not that it's any of your business."

Gebrodkin nodded. "Okay, Slate. As far as knowing what I know, the Logrus himself told me. And if you look into the maze and ask it, it might just answer you, too."

Slate sighed and stared into space. Through his own Logrus Sight, Gebrodkin saw the Sign of Chaos hovering in front of the gray gargoyle. Suddenly, Slate's Logrus sign flared and sent a ray of red light into the gargoyle's head. He could see Slate's eyes widened in surprise, as he knew the Logrus was no doubt feeding him history: the history of the first gargoyles and their flight from the Courts of Chaos after their rebellion. How they had traveled through countless universes and finally, finding one of their liking, settled there in the hope that the Logrus would grow tired of searching for them and give up. But they were not to be so fortunate. For just as animals leave tracks when they move over the ground, so could the Logrus trace them through the dimensions, following the trails of their magic. Magic they derived from the Logrus itself. All too soon the Logrus had found them. Angry at their betrayal to its cause, it stripped them of their magic, leaving them trapped in their demonic Chaos forms. Cursed with stone sleep by the Logrus's decree, they found themselves to be helpless for half the day. The clouding of their minds concerning their pasts and of the Logrus itself made them no longer able to remember who they had been and of what they had been capable. But now the Logrus had need of them once more. And so he would send a warrior in his stead. Seasoned in battle, a master of strategy and a true leader, he would lead them as the Logrus commanded.

Gebrodkin smiled as Slate closed his eyes, the Logrus ray fading. The gargoyle stood there for a few moments, unmoving, as he attempted to digest what the Logrus had shown him. Finally he opened his eyes and looked over at Gebrodkin. The other gargoyle noticed that Slate's eyes held a weariness that had not been there earlier. The gray gargoyle sighed tiredly.

"We will follow you, Gebrodkin."

Gebrodkin's face broke into a grin. As he walked over to his newest recruit, he clapped his hand onto the gargoyle's shoulder.

"Excellent! I knew you'd make the right choice." Noticing Slate's downcast expression, he patted the gargoyle on the shoulder. "Don't look so glum, my friend. You're about to take part in one of the most important events of all time."

Slate looked over at him. "It's not that. I'd rather not throw my life away for some damn maze." He grimaced at the thought.

Gebrodkin smiled comfortingly at him. "You won't be leaving right away; I still have a lot more recruiting to do. And you won't be fighting alone. You'll have all the legions of Chaos behind you for support."

Slate shrugged.

Gebrodkin nodded. "I know it's a lot to take in, so I'll leave you to explain this to the others. The Logrus will instruct you on regaining your magic." Suddenly Gebrodkin cocked his head to one side as if listening to something then nodded. A moment later, he stretched his hands forward towards Slate and the others. Suddenly, his hands became surrounded with a soft, white glow. The glow then shot from his hands, enveloping the gargoyles, including Slate. A moment later it faded. Slate and the others looked around in confusion.

"What in the hell was that?" asked Slate, turning to Gebrodkin.

The gargoyle chuckled softly. "As of this moment, your curse has been lifted. Once again you can face the sun as any other creature."

Slate stared. "Our stone sleep? Gone?"

He nodded in affirmation.

Slate stared down at himself in wonder. "We will finally be able to see the sun!" The gargoyle turned to the others. "Brothers and sisters! We are free! After all this time, we are free!"

The armored gargoyle rolled his eyes at the announcement then addressed Slate once more. "Are there any other clans that you know of?"

Slate tapped a talon against his chin for a moment in thought. "None that I am aware of. But we hear little out here."

He nodded. "I see. Then I must be on my way. I shall return when it is time. Until then, train your charges as best you can. May the Logrus guide you!"

Slate smiled as Gebrodkin departed the cave.

As the gargoyle walked back out onto the sands he reflected on how well prepared his new recruits would be. He shrugged. With the Logrus to guide him and his memories on how to use the magic restored, they would be ready within a few months. He stopped and closed his eyes, feeling the desert wind whip around him. Looking up at the stars, he sighed anxiously. For a month after he had sworn allegiance to the Logrus, he had trained diligently in the use of his magic. The Logrus had also taught him his final lesson: Shadow-shifting. Normally only the most powerful of wizards could travel between the dimensions to various universes and only then with difficulty. But initiates of the Pattern and the Logrus could travel through them with relative ease. However, all the preparation in the world could not prepare him for what would lie ahead. For two months he had searched through various shadows in search of recruits, but there was one kind of shadow he had not dared to go.

He dared not face his own clan.

The gargoyle that had been Brooklyn sighed. He knew they would not be the same gargoyles he had destroyed on his world. Similar though they might be, they were but copies of the originals.

But it frightened him nonetheless.

(Well…here goes nothing!)

Clearing his mind, he brought forth into it his memories of the Eyrie building. He pictured his various clan members. The mere memory of them almost shattered his control, but he forced them back into the forefront of his mind's eye. As he pictured them he began walking. As he walked, he willed the world around him to alter and shift to his will. Slowly the sand began to change from tan to a darker color.

The sand turned to the color of coal…winds whipped about him as the barriers between dimensions parted at his mental command and he vanished in a trail of rainbow light as Slate looked on…the sand became firm and more gravel-like under his feet…the constellations shifted into more familiar patterns…a small building appeared off to his left…rainbow splash…more buildings now…a concrete walkway appeared under his feet as he walked…a street lamp here, fire hydrant there…a car zoomed by…now another…he stepped up to a building who top reached above the clouds.

Gebrodkin, Lord of Chaos, had arrived.

As he looked up at the home that was not truly his home he felt a brief flash of panic. Forcing it down, he shifted his form to that of a security guard and entered the building. As he walked up to the guard station he knew would be there he caught the attention of the guard on duty.

The guard looked up at him curiously. "What?"

"I need to get up to the top floor, but I lost my security key. You got a spare?"

The guard looked at him oddly. "Why do you need to go up top anyway?"

Gebrodkin shrugged. "Don't know. Xanatos said something about him needing me upstairs."

The guard sighed and handed the disguised gargoyle the key. "Be sure to bring it back before my shift's over."

He nodded. "You got it."

As he stepped into the elevator and turned the key into position to allow the elevator access to the castle, he chuckled to himself, dropping the illusion.

"To quote a Fey I knew. 'What fools these mortals be.'"

He watched as the numbers on the LCD increase ever more swiftly…

As Brooklyn landed on the castle parapets he cloaked his wings about himself and walked into the castle. As he walked down the corridor, he stopped by the television room to check in on Hudson. The old gargoyle was lounging in front of the television with Bronx at his side, as usual. Smiling to himself with a shake of his head, he continued to walk down the hall. As he rounded the corner he suddenly ran smack into himself.

Stepping back a pace, Brooklyn stared incredulously at his duplicate. Gebrodkin quickly clamped his hands over Brooklyn's beak before he could think to yell.

"Now, listen to me. I'm not here to hurt you or impersonate you, cause I know that's what you're thinking. Now, I'm going to let you go. I don't suggest yelling for Goliath or anyone else because that would make me unhappy. And you know what you're like when you're unhappy." Gebrodkin stared hard into Brooklyn's eyes for effect.

The other Brooklyn nodded slowly. With a nod, Gebrodkin slowly released Brooklyn's beak. Brooklyn took a step back, but said nothing, opting to look over his other self in amazement.

Gebrodkin simply smirked at his other self's amazement.

Brooklyn appeared to be a few years Gebrodkin's junior and wore only the traditional blue loincloth. In fact, he looked the way Gebrodkin had before he had meddled with the amulet of Kl-Torach. Gebrodkin looked "himself" up and down for a moment before asking a question.

"What's the date?"

The other looked at him in confusion. "Huh?"

Gebrodkin glared at him in annoyance. "I said, what's the date?"

"Uhh…March 5th."

"Year?"

"1997."

Gebrodkin nodded. (I first messed with the amulet around April. At least the time line is close. Now, if this dimension is that similar to mine then the castle should be too…)

Suddenly he walked off down one of the hallways, his younger self scampering after him.

"Where are you going?"

Gebrodkin looked over at him. "To check something."

Brooklyn looked at him oddly. Gebrodkin ignored the look as he strode down the corridor and stopped by one of the doors. Opening the door, he walked in, Brooklyn trailing in his wake.

Gebrodkin looked around quickly at the various display cases in the room. His eyes lit up as he walked over to one of the cases in back, the dais holding a jewel-encrusted, egg-shaped artifact. His eyes narrowed as he stared at the prison, which held the powerful demon Kl-Torach at bay. A demon he had released by stealing the artifact and donning it. Summoning the Logrus before him, he instructed the construct to open a dimensional gateway inside the display case. Brooklyn blinked, then stared as a blue portal began to open inside the display case.

"No!" Brooklyn suddenly hurtled himself at Gebrodkin. His head snapped around in surprise as Brooklyn slammed into him, knocking him to the floor and shattering his concentration. The blue portal blinked out as Brooklyn smashed his fist into the other's face. As Gebrodkin lay on the floor, momentarily stunned, Brooklyn smashed open the display case and grabbed the amulet. Gebrodkin allowed himself only an instant to be horrified, before shooting out a hand and letting loose a blast of magical energy. The bolt caught Brooklyn's hand, knocking the amulet across the room. Brooklyn clutched his hand against his side in pain before half running in the direction of the amulet.

He made it exactly three steps before he was bound in a temporary web of Chaos energy.

Gebrodkin stood up and walked over to where the amulet lay. Picking it up off the floor, he summoned another portal. "I will not allow this to happen again!" he muttered. With that vow, he threw the demon's prison into the portal and closed it. Meanwhile, Brooklyn shook his head as if trying to clear it then walked over to his counterpart.

"Hey, listen. I'm sorry about that. Dunno what came over me."

Gebrodkin looked over at him. "It was Kl-Torach's influence. Just be thankful you didn't get it around your neck, otherwise there would have been trouble."

Brooklyn nodded.

That objective accomplished, Gebrodkin departed the room and stood in the hall for a moment, Brooklyn standing nearby. Gebrodkin turned to face him, his face slightly anxious.

"I must speak with the rest of the clan. Can you arrange it?"

Brooklyn looked at his suspiciously. "Why? I admit you do look like me, but why should I trust you? All you've done is scare me half out of my wits and chuck one of Xanatos's baubles into God knows where."

Gebrodkin stared into Brooklyn's eyes. "You know the truth. You know we are the same person."

Brooklyn stared for a moment into a pair of hazel eyes which he could have swore were his own, then shook his head, breaking the moment.

"Alright. If you're me then you know things that only I would know."

Gebrodkin nodded. "Ask away."

"The night we were sent to the rookery me and my rookery brothers were playing a game. What was that game?" Brooklyn glared at him challengingly.

Gebrodkin smiled. "That was fun wasn't it, playing that game of toss the meat with Bronx. Too bad he caught it in mid-air in the end."

Brooklyn stared. Gebrodkin had described it exactly.

"You are me!" Brooklyn whispered incredulously.

Gebrodkin nodded.

"Very interesting," said a calm voice behind them. "But I would like an explanation as to what is going on here."

The two gargoyles turned about to see Xanatos standing behind them, a laser rifle pointed at them.

Xanatos waved the point of his gun at Gebrodkin. "Now, explain your presence here and how you were able to enter my castle without my knowing."

Gebrodkin just smiled casually. "Maybe the guards just liked my face."

Xanatos frowned slightly. "Very amusing. But that's hardly an explanation. Why are you here."

Gebrodkin looked at his coolly. "Would you believe me if I told you I was here to recruit the clan into joining the legions of Chaos so they could help overthrow the bastion of Order known as Amber?"

Brooklyn stared at Gebrodkin as if he had gone crazy.

Xanatos for his credit never twitched an eyebrow. "Not in the slightest."

Gebrodkin blinked blandly, then shrugged. "Didn't think so. Unfortunately it's the truth. So if you'll please move out of my way I'll conclude my business here and leave."

Xanatos merely shook his head. "I don't think so."

With that, a red beam of energy shot from his weapon, hitting Gebrodkin square in the chest. The blast ricocheted off his breastplate and threw him back against the stone wall of the castle, stunned. Shaking his head, he erected a Chaos shield in front of him as Xanatos fired again. The shield absorbed the energy bolt as Gebrodkin gestured at Xanatos, muttering an incantation. At his command, the metallic rifle began to glow red-hot as the Chaos energy increased the vibrational rate of the weapon's molecules. Xanatos dropped the gun in pain as he waved his hands in an attempt to cool them. Immediately, Gebrodkin ordered the shield to move towards Xanatos. The energy field barreled into Xanatos and smashed him against the wall, pinning him like a fly caught in molasses.

Gebrodkin merely smiled at Xanatos as he struggled to free himself. "If you'll excuse me, I have a clan to recruit."

Xanatos glared at him as he walked down the hall with Brooklyn in tow, leaving Xanatos to stew helplessly.

Goliath swooped down towards the castle and landed with a _thump_ onto the parapet. Walking down the stone stairway to the lower levels, he joined the rest of clan. As Goliath looked around, he noticed Brooklyn's absence.

"Has anyone seen Brooklyn?" he asked.

"I'm right here," came his voice from a nearby doorway. "And we've got a guest."

The clan turned in surprise as Brooklyn stepped out of the shadowy doorway, Gebrodkin stepping into the light beside him. Ten pairs of eyes stared at the armored gargoyle as Brooklyn stepped a few feet away from him. For a moment, all Gebrodkin could do was stare at the clan. For a moment he dared to hope that they were the same ones he had killed under Kl-Torach's influence and they had forgiven him. But Brooklyn's presence shattered that dream. While this clan looked and acted virtually the same as his former clan, his true clan was gone forever, destroyed by that evil demon in Brooklyn's form. Sadness filled his eyes as he looked at them for what seemed an eternity, attempting to burn their likeness into his mind. Finally Goliath spoke. "Greetings stranger. I am Goliath. Leader of Clan Manhattan."

Gebrodkin nodded. "I know who you are. In fact, I know all of you."

Goliath looked at him suspiciously. "How?"

Gebrodkin smiled tiredly. "It would take too long to explain. But for the time being, I'm here on a matter of great importance."

"And that is?" Goliath asked.

Gebrodkin looked up into the face that had once been his leader in another time and place. His eyes filled with pain for a moment as he stood there, remembering. Then, steeling himself, he continued.

"Battle plans and tactics are being prepared even as we speak. Troops are being summoned for the greatest war anyone has ever seen. You, I, all gargoyles everywhere are being called into the ranks to help fight this war."

Goliath frowned. "And why should we take part this war?"

"Because it is your destiny. Your purpose. Your ancestors were exiled because they refused to obey the will of the Logrus, but now the Logrus wishes you back."

Goliath's frown deepened. "And who is this Logrus?"

Gebrodkin shook his head. "Not who. What. The Logrus is the physical manifestation of Chaos. Your ancestors left the Courts of Chaos many millennia ago. But now it is time for you to return."

Goliath shook his head. "Even if what you say is true, we cannot leave our home. Manhattan is our protectorate. We cannot abandon it."

Gebrodkin rested a hand on Goliath's shoulder. "This goes beyond Manhattan, Goliath. Beyond the world. Beyond even this universe. This battle will be fought throughout the Multiverse. The ultimate battle between Order and Chaos. This has no comparison, nor will it ever again. As lords of Chaos, it is your duty to aid the Logrus in its greatest endeavor."

Goliath once again shook his head. "I am no lord of Chaos. How can I know you speak the truth?"

Brooklyn looked steadily into Goliath's eyes. "I will show you."

Brooklyn took Goliath's head in his hands and stared into the leader's eyes. Suddenly, it was not Goliath's head he held, but his dead rookery brother's, Lexington.

'Look into my eyes!'…'Look at me!'….'Look at me!'…Lexington stared into his eyes in terror…'You will absorb my will'….'Yes, Dominus!' the gargoyle whispered.

Then Goliath's head returned, his eyes looking at Gebrodkin strangely.

"What is it you are going to show me?"

Gebrodkin shook his head slightly to clear his mind. (This is different! I'm not subverting him!)

Focusing once more on Goliath's eyes, he began to insert visions into Goliath's mind of what had gone before. Visions of the history of millennia upon millennia. Finally, Gebrodkin removed his hands and looked at Goliath expectantly. The purple giant stood there, an unreadable expression on his face as he absorbed what he had seen.

Hudson walked up to Goliath and placed a hand on his shoulder, looking at him, concerned. "Lad? Ye be alright?"

"It's true." Goliath whispered. "Everything he spoke of…it's true."

Hudson and the others stared at him, aghast. Finally, Lexington spoke up. "Are you sure? M-maybe he…"

Goliath shook his head firmly. "No. He spoke the truth. I saw it."

Gebrodkin nodded in affirmation. "Well Goliath?"

Goliath slowly turned his head to look at him. "I must give this some thought. You are welcome to sleep here until then."

Gebrodkin nodded. "Thanks, but I won't be needing a perch."

The others looked at him oddly. Gebrodkin simply shrugged sheepishly. "You'll understand later."

The others shrugged and began to walk inside, each of them eyeing their strange visitor before disappearing into the corridor. As Lexington began to walk inside, he turned back to look at him. Gebrodkin was leaning against the parapets silently. Lexington quietly padded over to him and stood beside him for a moment. Gebrodkin looked over at Lex for a moment, then turned back to the night sky. The diminutive gargoyle looked Gebrodkin over. He noticed that Gebrodkin bore the same serious face that his rookery brother Brooklyn wore when he had something weighing on his mind. The fact that they looked very similar was also striking. Lexington seated himself on one of the perches and looked up at the strange gargoyle.

"Want to talk about it?"

Gebrodkin looked over at Lex again, his eyes sad. "Not really."

"It might make you feel better." The gargoyle replied. "It works for me."

Gebrodkin sighed. "My tale is not one I'm proud of, nor is it easy for me to talk about. Especially to the clan."

The green gargoyle rested a hand on Gebrodkin's arm. "The clan isn't here. I am. I can keep secrets. Done it before."

Gebrodkin chuckled. "Like the time you didn't tell the elders that Broadway had eaten that prize deer for dinner and the nobles wound up with week old beef jerky instead?"

Lexington stared. "How did you know that? The only ones who knew were me, Broadway, and Brooklyn!"

Gebrodkin smiled. Lex looked at him. "Are you some kind of time traveler? Are you Brooklyn's future self?"

Gebrodkin smiled quietly. "Good guess, Lex. But wrong. Close, though."

Lexington shook his head. "You even sound like him. Talk like him. You must be Brooklyn!"

Gebrodkin nodded. "In a way, I am Brooklyn. A Brooklyn. One very similar to your rookery brother in there."

Lex stared. "Then where do you come from?"

Gebrodkin looked out at the stars. "I come from a parallel world. An alternate dimension. One very similar to this one."

Lex's eyes grew even wider. "That's incredible!"

Gebrodkin chuckled quietly. "I suppose so. I haven't given it any thought."

"What's it like on this other world?"

Gebrodkin shrugged. "Pretty much the same as this one. Same history and people. If anything's different, it's the little details."

Lex nodded. "You obviously know us. Were you part of a Manhattan clan?"

Gebrodkin nodded sadly. "I was once. But they were killed."

Lex's eyes grew sympathetic. "By whom?"

Gebrodkin sighed. "A powerful demon named Kl-Torach. He inhabited one of the clan's body and used him to subvert the clan after killing Goliath. Then he went after the Fey and destroyed them, too."

"I'm sorry. Which clan member did he possess?"

Gebrodkin gazed at Lex sadly. "Me."

Lexington stared in dismay.

Gebrodkin nodded. "I killed them all eventually. But Goliath…I…fought him…tore out his heart…" he squeezed his eyes shut attempting to blot out the memory as he clenched his fists. "I…subverted you, turned you into my slave…all of them, but you were the first…the look in your eyes!…" Gebrodkin bowed his head in shame. For several moments Lex stood there, absorbing what he had heard, then slowly focused on Gebrodkin's silent, tortured form.

"It wasn't your fault." Lex said softly.

The gargoyle shook his head. "I killed him…killed them all…it _is_ my fault!"

"No it isn't!" Lex implored. "You said you were possessed. You couldn't control what was going on. It was Kl-Torach, not you."

Gebrodkin slowly opened his eyes and looked over at Lex, his eyes watering. "He may have pulled the strings, but I still did those things. And I can never atone for them."

Lex stared at him intently. "You can. But you have to forgive yourself first."

Gebrodkin sighed heavily and leaned against the stone wall. "I'm not sure I can."

"It won't be easy and it won't happen overnight, but you can do it. I know you can."

Gebrodkin gave Lexington a sidelong glance. "How do you know that?"

The green gargoyle smiled slightly. "Because I know Brooklyn and if you are anything like him, you can do it."

Gebrodkin smiled tiredly. "Maybe." He looked over at Lexington's earnest face. "How'd you get so smart?"

Lex shrugged. "It's one of my hidden talents." He smiled.

Gebrodkin smiled slightly. "I think I'll go see what Goliath and the others are doing."

Lex nodded. "I'll join you."

Smiling, the two walked into the castle.

For the next week Gebrodkin remained in the castle. While he knew he could be wasting valuable time, given the different time flows between the dimensions, he could not resist engaging in the various activities of the clan. He even agreed to go on patrol a few nights. Other nights he spent in the library with Goliath, educating him on the various abilities and responsibilities of Chaos Lords, including displaying various acts of Chaos magic in order to prove a point. For a few days at least, Gebrodkin almost felt at home once more. After the week had past, Goliath once again assembled the clan in the courtyard to discuss his decision. As the clan gathered about him, Goliath looked about at their expectant faces, then began to speak.

"As you know, a week ago Gebrodkin came to us with a proposal. I have discussed it with him at great length and have reached a decision. In light of his words and evidence to back them, I have decided that we shall join his ranks in the coming war."

The clan members looked at each other with some trepidation.

"We will not go into this war unarmed." Goliath continued, noting their looks of worry. "Gebrodkin is capable of powerful magic through the Logrus. Each one of us is capable of harnessing this same power with practice. Armed with that power and our own fighting skills we will be amply prepared."

Lexington's eyes brightened at the thought of becoming a potential sorceror as the rest of the clan perked up at this news.

"However," Goliath warned, "this war will not be easily won and we cannot take this lightly. The foes we fight against have similar power and our appearance will not aid us in catching them off guard. They are also difficult to kill as they have great stamina."

The clan's faces fell once more.

"Nevertheless, they can be killed." Goliath affirmed. "And destroy them we shall!"

The clan cheered with enthusiasm as Gebrodkin watched from the side, smiling slightly.

Goliath held up his hands, silencing the cheers. "Gebrodkin will began preliminary instruction tomorrow night. But for now we have patrols."

The clan groaned as Goliath began distributing instructions for patrol assignments but followed their leader's commands dutifully. Within a few minutes the clan had scattered, taking off in various directions to patrol specific parts of the city.

Goliath remained behind as he watched his charges embark on their journeys. Turning to Gebrodkin, they walked into the castle. As they walked Goliath looked over at the armored warrior dedicated to Chaos.

"Do you truly believe we can do this?" Goliath asked soberly.

Gebrodkin nodded. "With enough training and the right skills, yes. But I won't lie to you. This war will not be easy." Gebrodkin stopped and turned to the lavender gargoyle, staring at him grimly.

"The clan may not live to see the end of the war."

Goliath nodded. "In battle that is always a possibility. A possibility we faced every day in the Middle Ages. Each time we fought an enemy there was always a chance we would not return. But that did not deter us from our duty."

Gebrodkin nodded, then smiled slightly. "You always did have that kind of attitude."

Goliath looked at him funny. "What?"

Gebrodkin shook his head. "Never mind. I'm in the mood for a snack. Care to join me?"

The lavender leader smiled slightly. "Why not."

"What's up Big Guy?" asked a female voice ahead of them.

Gebrodkin smiled slightly. At least here was one member of the clan he hadn't killed!

Elisa walked towards them, wearing her usual red bomber jacket, black tee-shirt, and jeans. Goliath smiled as she approached while Gebrodkin slipped into the shadows, his wings capped around him.

Elisa walked up to Goliath and hugged him. "How you doing?"

He smiled in return. "Much better, now that you have arrived."

Elisa chuckled quietly. "Sorry I haven't been able to come the last week or so, but Chavez has been running us around like chickens with our heads cut off."

Goliath looked at her quizzically. Though he had gotten used to the various nuances of 20th century slang, he could still be puzzled every now and then. Gebrodkin sighed sadly as he watched the pair from the shadows.

(The Elisa I know is probably still in mourning.) he thought to himself. Shifting his weight, his wings ruffled quietly against his body. Elisa suddenly looked over at the sound. Goliath looked over as well and, catching sight of Gebrodkin, smiled slightly, gesturing with a claw.

"Who is that?" Elisa asked as Gebrodkin stepped partially into the light.

Goliath smiled. "Elisa, I would like you to meet Gebrodkin, a powerful gargoyle sorceror." As he said this, Gebrodkin emerged completely from the shadows, resting his wing claws on his shoulder guards. Elisa stared as she got a good look at the new gargoyle. She was amazed at his resemblance to Brooklyn, though the armor put him in a grim light. She walked over to him and stretched out her hand.

"Elisa Maza. Detective, 2nd Class, NYPD."

Gebrodkin took her hand and shook it carefully but firmly. "Charmed," he smiled. "Goliath and I were going to raid the pantry. Care to join us?"

Elisa smiled. "I'd be delighted."

The rest of the night passed uneventfully as the three spend the rest of the evening snacking and discussing various topics, from current happenings in Elisa's life to the upcoming war in which the clan was to participate. As dawn neared the clan members took their usual places upon the parapets. Gebrodkin hung back slightly with Elisa as he watched the others take their positions.

"Until tonight!" Gebrodkin said as the clan petrified for the day.

The gargoyle took a few minutes to admire the sunrise before turning back to the clan. Calling upon the power of the Logrus, he stretched out his hands. Fans of white light flowed from his fingers and engulfed each of the statues before him. The power swirled around them before sinking into the stone.

Elisa looked over a Gebrodkin in surprise. "What was that?"

The ruddy gargoyle simply smiled back at her. "You'll see. The clan will have a nice surprise in store for them come tomorrow morning. Have a good day, detective." With that, he walked into castle, leaving Elisa to stare at his winged back, wondering how the gargoyle was able to walk about in daylight.

Gebrodkin spent the majority of the morning in the privacy of one of the small libraries conversing with other Chaosites. Through his link to the great symbol he was able to discuss various strategies with the greatest generals of the Courts through multidimensional gateways. They were also taking part in the war by formulating battle plans in the Courts while Brooklyn had been finding recruits in Shadow. As the morning wore on plans were created, discussed, and either thrown out or refined. For himself, Gebrodkin enjoyed the mental challenge immensely. However, always in the back of his mind, he knew that one day soon this game would become reality. Finishing a few last details with the demonic generals, he closed the portals and sank into the chair tiredly. His eyes remained closed for several minutes before the click of a door opening reached his ears. He opened his eyes and turned towards the door to see Xanatos framed in the doorway. As the multi-billionaire walked into the room, Gebrodkin sat up in his chair and flashed him a smile.

"To what do I owe the visit?"

Xanatos simply flashed him his trademark smirk and sat down in a nearby chair.

"I understand from listening to the clan that you plan to involve them in some sort of battle. Perhaps I can be of some assistance."

Gebrodkin shook his head. "The resources you could offer would be little more then cannon fodder. Those we will fight have power equal to the Fey, but have none of their vulnerabilities."

Xanatos stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Speaking of the Fey, I wonder..."

"They would not interfere." Gebrodkin interrupted. "Oberon would not allow it, I'm sure."

Xanatos nodded.

"Do not be so quick to judge us, Lord Brooklyn." said a voice from the shadows. "We are not entirely as heartless as you would make us."

Xanatos and Gebrodkin shot to their feet as Titania melted out of the shadows.

"What...!"

"Am I doing here?" she smiled at Gebrodkin. "Why, to aid you of course. I and a few of my friends."

Gebrodkin stared suspiciously. "How do you know...?"

"Who you were?" She smiled again. "Your clan was more then helpful to me on more then one occasion. Or has your recent reindoctrination into the Courts of Chaos dulled your memory of your old life?"

Gebrodkin continued to stare in surprise at the former queen of the Fey for a moment before composing himself. "I take it you are the Titania from my world?"

The Fey nodded. "I am." She smirked slightly. "And in case you do not believe. I remember you once trapped me in a rather ingenious bubble after destroying my lord and husband, Oberon."

Gebrodkin's face sobered at the mention of Oberon's death. "You cannot know how truly sorry I am, my Lady. It was one of many horrible crimes I have yet to atone for."

Titania shook her head. "I do not blame you for what you did, for you had no control over what transpired. It is Kl-Torach I blame and he is destroyed. And it was you who destroyed him."

Gebrodkin merely shrugged. "I still blame myself for what was done. And I wish you to know that even though you do not blame me, I still am sorry for everything that happened."

Titania nodded. "I thank you, Brooklyn, for your thoughtfulness. But I did not come here to open old wounds, but rather to aid you in your latest endeavor."

Gebrodkin looked at her, puzzled. "Why should you aid me, Lady Titania? If I understand correctly the magic of Avalon is drawn from the Pattern of Amber, not the Logrus. Why should you betray your own people?"

Titania smiled quietly. "I did not say I would. While I said I would aid you, I will not take an active role in your war. However, mortals are not of the blood of Amber. In any event, it will be interesting to watch the battle unfold."

Gebrodkin shook his head in amazement. "Only the Fey..." he muttered.

"As I was saying," Titania continued, "I have brought some friends of mine who have a desire to assist you."

Gebrodkin smiled slightly. "I thank you for your interest Lady, but as I was telling Xanatos, unless you have brought some powerful sorcerors with you, they will be little more then targets."

Titania smiled. "As it happens, they _are_ sorcerors to one degree or another. Come, they await you in the courtyard."

Gebrodkin shrugged. (Oh well, what's one or two more recruits...)

He looked over at Xanatos. "I'll be back shortly."

"Take your time." Xanatos smiled.

Grimacing at Xanatos's quip, the Chaos Lord followed the former Fey queen out of the library and down the corridor. A few moments later they emerged into the courtyard. As Gebrodkin took in the scene, he stared in surprise. The yard was virtually packed with people of various colors and ages. There were at least a hundred souls present. As he looked around at the faces he noticed that virtually all had slightly pointed ears. Taking this into consideration, he turned to Titania, puzzled.

"Didn't you say that the Fey could not become involved?"

Titania smiled at him. "The magic you unleashed in the explosion did more then you thought, Brooklyn. The entire planet was energized with magic as well as all the beings who live on it. About a third of the human population as well as many gargoyles became partially Fey. Not only that, but unicorns and griffins now roam the land as dragons of various colors fly in the skies. You have achieved something which has not been duplicated in any other Shadow."

Gebrodkin sighed. "Great. Now people have another thing to fight over. The Normals vs. the Freaks vs. the Mythical Creatures."

Titania chuckled. "Ordinarily I would agree. In truth, the world has become more peaceful. Your final wish for peace seems to have been magnified by Avalon's power and covered the world. While fighting still goes on, on occasion, it is far less then what had happened before."

He smiled. "So it worked out after all..." he muttered quietly. For the first time since his possession, Gebrodkin smiled in relief as a great burden seemed to lift from him. Standing straighter, he turned to Titania.

"I had thought the blast would have devastated part of the planet, or at least done some sort of damage."

Titania nodded. "Without a will to focus it, yes, that would have come to pass. But the soul's dying request is a powerful one indeed. Enough to shape even the pent up magic of Avalon. Even though you did not die, your soul was prepared to. It is difficult to explain, but suffice to say it worked. The world is a more peaceful place."

Gebrodkin nodded, satisfied, then looked over at the crowd. "Are these the recruits, then?"

Titania nodded. "Some of them, yes. The most powerful and best trained of the group. Some still remain in the other dimension waiting for transport."

Gebrodkin nodded. "Which reminds me of a question I had earlier..."

Titania laughed in amusement. "Do you wish to know every answer to every question in the universe in one morning?"

Gebrodkin smiled. "No. But I do wish to know how you were able to find me."

"As the Logrus and its initiates can track you through the dimensions via your magical trail, so can initiates of the Pattern. Granted, it is more difficult, but it can be done. And as you yourself know, anyone who can travel between the dimensions can bring others through in their wake if desired."

Gebrodkin nodded. Bringing a small version of the Logrus into his field of vision, he began to scan the crowd in front of him to see how much power they radiated.

"How well trained are they?" he asked Titania, scanning.

"They have been trained in the basics of spell-casting and most have created their own specialized spells for their own use. These are the most proficient. The rest know how to cast and use known spells."

Gebrodkin nodded. "But they can't create their own yet."

Titania nodded. "Correct."

Gebrodkin nodded. "Not up to the standard of the Chaos Legions, but not a bad collection as far as mortal standards are concerned."

"I'm so glad you approve." she replied sardonically.

He smirked at her as Xanatos walked into the courtyard. For a second he was speechless, then turned to Titania and Gebrodkin.

"What in the hell are all these people doing in my castle?" he demanded.

Gebrodkin smiled. "Recruits for the war effort."

Xanatos merely glowered. "Fine. Now remove them."

Titania shook her head. "I'm afraid I can't do that. We have no place for them to go. They also need more training."

"My castle doesn't have the room for them and the training required!"

Gebrodkin smirked. "You've become a poor liar, Xanatos. You've got room in this place to hold at least 500 and ample room in the sub-basements for training exercises."  
Xanatos raised an eyebrow. "And you know this how?"

The gargoyle smiled. "I've done it before."

Xanatos didn't ask. He simply turned on his heel to Owen who had appeared behind him. "Make sure they are put up in rooms and have access to one of the sub-basements."

"Very good, sir." replied Owen.

Xanatos looked over his shoulder at the pair, who simply smiled sweetly at him. Gebrodkin walked up to him and patted his shoulder. "I knew you'd see things my way."

Grumbling, Xanatos and his servant departed.

Titania walked over to the group and began to direct them into the castle in a line. The group of sorcerors began to advance into the building…

"Brooklyn!" exclaimed a female voice from the line.

Gebrodkin turned to see Elisa running up to him. (What the…? Goliath introduced me to her as Gebrodkin! Unless…)

As he looked closer as she walked up to him, he saw that her ears had points.

"Elisa?"

The female cop grinned. "Yeah! You didn't think you'd see me again, did you?"

Gebrodkin grinned. "Nope. I like the ears, by the way."

She smiled at the compliment, then looked up at him. "Thanks. It's good to see you again. We all thought you'd been killed in the blast."

He smiled. "So did I, for a moment. But I'm not so easy to kill."

"I take it Kl-Torach's gone?"

Gebrodkin nodded. "The blast destroyed him. I'm just glad that ordeal is over. How are you holding up, anyway?"

Elisa looked at him curiously. "I'm fine, I suppose. What do you mean…?"

"Goliath." He stated simply.

Recognition dawned in her eyes, which saddened slightly. "I still miss him. Always will, I suppose."

She looked up and saw that his face had sobered considerably. She smiled comfortingly at him in response. "I don't blame you Brooklyn. Never did. Like I told Gary, it was Kl-Torach, not you."

He nodded. "How are Gary and the others, by the way?"

She smiled brightly again. "Ask them yourself."

Gebrodkin's eyeridges shot up as two figures broke from the line and walked up. One was a tall, thin man with long black hair, green eyes, and high cheekbones dressed in black. The other a young man with blond hair, blue eyes, wearing a leather jacket white shirt and denim. The man in denim smirked at the surprised gargoyle and performed a cock-eyed salute with two fingers, the other simply sported a smile.

Elisa smiled at Gebrodkin's reaction. "I believe you know Gary Faldora and Damion Johnson."

Gebrodkin grinned at the two as they walked up. Damion sauntered up to him and smirked.

"Well, well, if it ain't the gargoyle super-wizard that gave me a rough time a while back!", he chuckled. "How you been, bud?"

Gebrodkin smiled. "Fine, considering that I'm no longer possessed. I'm surprised you're so friendly to me, considering the last time we met."

Damion chuckled. "Well, I'm not one to hold a grudge, man. Plus, Titania pretty much explained things before we left to come here. So I'm cool."

Gebrodkin nodded and turned to Gary, shaking his hand. "Good to see you again, too."

Gary smiled. "It's mutual. I've been able to increase my power since the Energizing so I should be able to give you some help."

The gargoyle nodded. "We can always use that." He turned to look at all three. "Welcome aboard!"

The trio smiled. As Titania took her place beside him, he looked over at her.

"Will you help in the training? We could certainly use your experience."

Titania smiled. "Why not? I have little to do now. It will be nice to exercise my powers."

Gebrodkin smiled confidently. "Good. With my help, when do you think they will be battle ready?"

Titania looked thoughtful for a moment. "I would say 3 months of hard training. The crack units can polish their skills while the lesser sorcerors gain their final lessons."

He grinned. "Excellent!" He turned and faced the sky, as if addressing it.

"In three months, we march to the Courts to join my brethren and then, to war!"

To be continued…


End file.
